


Movement

by Indigenoussoul



Series: Wasteland, Baby! [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Compound, Bucky Barnes Feels, Caretaking, Comic Book Science, Crying, Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Mute Tony Stark, Not A Fix-It, Not Canon Compliant, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Child Abuse, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Past Relationship(s), Permanent Injury, Physical Disability, Physical Therapy, Post-Recovery Bucky Barnes, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Peter Parker, Sick Tony Stark, Sickfic, Slow Burn, Sorry Not Sorry, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Trust Issues, Wheelchairs, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:49:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29578446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indigenoussoul/pseuds/Indigenoussoul
Summary: What if Steve Rogers seriously injured Tony Stark in Siberia?Following the events of Civil War, Tony finds himself on the other side. Torn between the signing of the Accords and his strained friendship with Steve, he goes undercover to help. Only he finds out much more than he bargained for. The aftermath leaves him paralyzed and a shell of the man he once was.Despite the pain of recent events and its long-lasting effects on Tony's mental and physical health, he fights for the rest of the Avengers. With their charges dropped, they return back to the luxury of their beloved compound only to find that the man in charge has gone M.I.A. With Tony in hiding, Cap begins to take back his team and win over the hearts of civilians and government officials. He's making his second chance worth it and he won't back down now, even if it means bending others to his will.*In Progress/Sporadic Updates*
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Wasteland, Baby! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188878
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	1. Like A Cry At The Final Breath That Is Drawn

Captain America's shield of righteousness lays battered and deformed on the floor of the bunker. Carelessly thrown into the snow from the direction of its previous owner's hurried footprints. And just a few feet away lies Tony in even worse condition. With the suit broken down and the cold setting in, he had no choice but to stay. He wanted to kick and scream after seeing the footage of his parents being assassinated. It was horrendous, the reality of their death and his messed-up situation. He couldn't even bring himself to get off of the ground, the adrenaline he felt when he charged at Barnes was long gone. It was pathetic really, how low he had fallen.

'F.R.I.D.A.Y. activate Dorothy Protocol' he said. Nothing but silence followed. The backup power should have activated already, at least enough to get F.R.I.D.A.Y. to send help. 

'F.R.I.D.A.Y. you there?' he tried again. No response. This wasn't good. He needed to leave soon, or the elements would finish him off. Bracing himself he tried to lift up, only to find himself falling back down. The metal was too heavy to bear in his state. Not to mention the pain he was beginning to feel, it was overwhelming his senses. He needed to focus. Trying again he makes his way to his feet, albeit unsteadily. Though it didn't matter he had more important things to worry about. 

Looking around the bunker, he found nothing. It was desolate and cold. Hydra cleared out well, if only they hadn't left their other soldiers. It was unnerving to look at them in their containment, to know what they were capable of. Still, he was alone and running out of time. His mind was not where it needed to be. He escaped one cave only to end up in another, but this time he might not make it out. His senses were getting duller by the minute. The room was swaying and his legs were giving out. Shaking his head, he kept on pushing forward. There was no time to waste, he could do this.

The doors were frozen shut to the other rooms. He couldn't break through without his armor. He had no strength left in him alone. How was he going to get out of here now? There weren't any extra materials lying around or tools. He was stuck. Truly and utterly stuck. As he made his way back to the opening, he saw that it was getting dark out. Too much time had passed while he was looking for things to fix his suit. And it was too late to even think about searching for food or water. He took a seat against the wall, feeling hopeless and weak. He began to pray, not to be rescued but for death to come deliver him out of this mess he created. Tony was giving up.

Darkness was quickly overtaking the sky. And the temperature was dropping too. Nightfall brought the land to a standstill. Emitting a silence that did not wish to be broken. He was terrified, sitting there unmoving. Then the wind began to howl, nearly giving the man a heart attack. Its eerie song felt like a warning. He could feel it in his bones, chilling him achingly. Aware now more than ever, he leaned against the wall breathing deeply. He had put it off for too long, he was starting to have a panic attack, but there was nothing to ground him. A sick feeling rose in his belly. He couldn't help but cry.

"Stark men are made of Iron" his father would say. Of course in his final hours, he would think of him. How ironic. But even that thought wasn't enough to calm him. The tears just kept coming. His body shook with each sob, releasing more pain than he could ever imagine. His cries echoed for what seemed like hours. His tears freezing where they fell. A constant reminder of the hell he had found himself in. He'd be lucky if they found his body in the morning. It'd be frozen through encased in the Iron Man suit. At least he'd have that. The chance to die with the one thing that never let him down, until now that is. Why didn't Steve just kill him? That would've been merciful on his part. He'd already left him to die, the least he could've done was put him out of his misery. And maybe Barnes would help finish him off too. Lord knows the world would thank him for his efforts.

Tony knew hypothermia set in a long time ago. If he hadn't insulated his armor he would've been dead hours ago. He was losing too much energy to stay awake. It certainly didn't help that he spent so much time crying. That breakdown cost him, he just didn't know what yet. His eyes growing heavier each passing moment. Eventually, he stopped fighting it.

Jerking into consciousness, Tony yelped. The sun had risen, he could feel the sliver of heat on his brow. Peering through his frozen lashes, he wondered why he was still there? Or where he was for that matter? It was getting harder to remember. The sun felt good, he wanted to feel it everywhere. He tried to move, nothing was happening. He couldn't feel his body. Fear grew inside him, but as quickly as the feeling came, it left. What was happening? He couldn't remember, why couldn't he just remember. His eyes fluttered exhaustingly. He called out to F.R.I.D.A.Y. expecting an answer. If he couldn't remember, then she would know.

'Recap last night or whenever I seemed to have passed out' his words slurring.

'F.R.I.D.A.Y. ?'

Of course he had forgotten that she wasn't there anymore. He didn't even have it in him to panic. She'd wake him up if something was wrong though, wouldn't she?

Wouldn't she?


	2. Remember Me, Love, When I'm Reborn

Happy Hogan has had a long week. With the signing of the Accords and the spider kid, he was exhausted mentally and physically. Driving Tony around was one thing, but babysitting was not in his job description. The stress was seriously taking a toll on his back. Tony flaked and left him to deal with Parker by himself. The kid could talk a mile a minute. At least now he could get some rest having finally dropped him back home.

When he made it to the compound, things were quiet. Though not surprising with the Avengers out of commission. Still, it was odd. 

'Hey F.R.I.D.A.Y, where's boss at?'

'Last known location: Siberia'

'What do you mean Siberia? Where's Tony, he should've been here yesterday? Tell him I need to speak to him'

'I cannot contact him. The suit is unresponsive'

Happy started to panic. This could only mean one thing. Tony was dead. He would have never gone without his suit, Accords or not. Something bad must have happened.

'When was the last time you had access to the suit?'

'Yesterday...the connection was lost after an altercation with Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes'

'So he's on the run, he switched sides? W-why would he do that?'

'Well...' As F.R.I.D.A.Y. explained the events of yesterday, Happy found himself bubbling with anxiety and anger. Tony had gone alone to help Cap out, only to be betrayed. And according to the suit's data, Tony was injured badly before the connection was lost. It's been hours since then, who knows what kind of condition he's in now. He couldn't believe Cap would do something so cruel, especially to a friend. Happy was praying this wasn't going to be like Afghanistan, Tony didn't deserve this. He's been through too much. Whatever the cost he knew then he'd have to take matters into his own hands to get him back home.

* * *

The five-hour trip to Russia felt slow. The Quinjet was fast, but it wasn't fast enough. Who knows what could happen in that time? Happy was so worried that he left before he could tell anyone. He didn't know who to trust. And it wouldn't be fair to Rhodey or Pepper to get them all riled up for nothing. But it didn't feel like anything and he knew it. He was the only one Tony had left at the moment. He wasn't a super soldier or a highly trained spy. He was just a guy hoping to save his friend. That didn't give him much hope thinking about it, he was useless in comparison to the old super-friends. The last time he decided to help out he ended up in the hospital. The whole Extremis thing was a rough time for him. Somehow this seemed scarier, not knowing whether or not he was going to find Tony dead. Or find Captain America torturing him. Who knows, it wouldn't be the first time someone turned on him. He really hoped that wasn't the case, he just wanted to find Tony and leave.

Happy's wishful thinking didn't last much longer as he walked towards the bunker. It was quiet, almost like nobody had ever been there. He would have believed it too if it weren't for the many footprints left in the snow. He followed them diligently, tracking all throughout the place. He passed dark halls and empty rooms, finding nothing. It was disheartening coming all this way to find the place had been deserted. Then he stumbled upon the other winter soldiers. The gunshots told him they were dead, but it really freaked him out. Turning away from the cryo-freeze chambers he noted the signs of a fight. Then he saw him, stepping through the debris and towards the limp figure against the wall. It was Tony. 

* * *

Moving Tony onto the Quinjet was a challenge. He, unfortunately, couldn't remove the suit, which was bad. Whatever injuries he'd sustained, would have to wait till they got back to the compound. Happy cleaned up his face the best he could. But he couldn't stop the frostbite from reaching his ears though. They were covered in blood and frozen to the touch. He feared the rest of him was the same. The least he could do was cover him in a few blankets and turn the heat up. If only he could have got there faster, then maybe none of this would have happened in the first place.

Happy called Dr. Cho before landing to give her enough time to set up. He didn't know the extent of his injuries, but he knew they weren't good. Every so often Tony would moan in pain and mumble things to himself. It was the only sign he was alive, but it didn't help much knowing that Happy couldn't do anything about it. Thankfully they were able to rush him to the medbay as soon as they landed. Unfortunately for him, he was left to relay the news to Rhodey and Pepper. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he knew Tony needed the support right now, whether he was aware of it or not.

They didn't take it well, as expected. Rhodey nearly leaped out of his own hospital bed and Pepper canceled all her upcoming meetings to fly out as soon as she could. There wasn't anything they could do now but wait. Happy supposed they'd do that together then, just as they had when he first went missing. The reminder of how similar the situations felt didn't slip any of their minds. It was rough thinking about the past, but it helped them to remember that they couldn't trust anyone. Especially now knowing the full extent of how badly Rogers treated someone he considered a friend and teammate. It was just horrible how things played out. It always seemed like Tony took the brunt of it.

In all honesty, Tony did take the brunt of it. At least physically, that is. Looking back on the footage from Siberia with Rhodey and Pepper was heartbreaking. Tony was so upset, he didn't pay attention to any of his injuries. If only he could have sent out a distress call or alerted F.R.I.D.A.Y for backup, then maybe he could've gotten out of there in one piece. Cho was taking so long that they were starting to really worry. From the suit's log they could only see minor signs of trauma before the connection was cut. Tony looked like he had sustained much more than that. It was terrifying to see him in such a state. Even after Afghanistan when he was held captive for three months, he came out looking a little rough around the edges but was able to produce such a grand mask that no one would ever know how badly he was hurt. It hadn't even been a full 24 hours and Tony could barely talk, let alone call for a press conference or go to Burger King. This time things were different and they'd have to accept that.

It was almost 2 a.m. by the time Cho came to talk to them. She had just finished working on Tony and had come to a startling conclusion. As a medical professional she knew how to talk to patients and their families, but she had just finished operating on a friend. A friend that might never be the same again. Unsure on how to proceed she just came out and said it. That Tony had suffered multiple strokes. That he was paralyzed and might never walk again, or talk, or even be able to feed himself. That recovery was out of the question. The Tony they knew and loved would never return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not in love with this chapter, I'll probably edit later. Still trying to lay the foundation and set up the story. Hoping to get things moving in the next chapter or two. Any suggestions for how to introduce Bucky?


	3. Hung Like The Pelt Of Some Prey You Had Worn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See 'Shrike' for more details on Tony and Pepper's breakup.

Dr. Cho's jumbled announcement was taken with a grain of salt. Of course, it was devastating to hear that Tony might never be the same, but he was alive. That was all that mattered. If he needed special care for the rest of his life, those three would do it in a heartbeat. They were just so thankful that yet once again they managed to save him.

The next day they were finally able to see him now that he was stable. In the waiting area, Cho warned them not to say anything just yet about this predicament. Although Tony was a strong man, his mental state was questionable. He was great at deflecting and finding ways to self-medicate. He had just been through another traumatic event, and Cho wasn't sure how he was handling it. She was worried it'd be too much for him to handle right after waking up. She'd at least keep him in the dark for a day or two. Just enough time for him to get adjusted.

'I still think we should tell him. He has the right to know, especially after what Rogers did. We don't need to lose his trust now, he needs us.' Rhodey tried to argue. He knew Tony better than any of them. He would want to know the truth, no matter how difficult. And he was a genius, surely he would figure it out soon, if he hadn't already that is.

'I don't know. I'm on the fence with this one. He does have a right to know, but maybe not right now. What Tony needs is time to rest.' Pepper looked like she had more to say. 

'Time to rest? I'm sorry Pepper, but are you delusional? Tony couldn't rest if he wanted to. His mind is probably going a mile a minute right now thinking of ways to get back in his lab. What he needs is for people to stop lying to him. Especially you, you broke his heart. He gave up a part of himself. He gave up the one thing he could trust, all for you. A-and after all that, you leave him when he needed you the most. You're a pathetic excuse of a friend and an even worse girlfriend. Don't make me pick up the pieces of that shattered man ever again.' Rhodey's response was harsh, but tensions were running high with the group. He wheeled away before she could respond. Though she wouldn't have much to say, it was true. She forced Tony's hand, to give up his arc reactor, his suits, and then she left him. She just couldn't handle everything that came with him—the nightmares, the danger, Iron Man. It was just too much for her to deal with. They found their way back to each other in recent months, as friends, but clearly, she had left some scars.

Happy saw that she was conflicted. It probably was a bad call getting her involved. He didn't really know what happened or why they broke up, he just knew it was messy. Rhodey was right, she wasn't good for Tony, at least not now. She was his friend as well, but Tony was like family. He had to do right by him first.

'I think it'd be best if you left now, Pepper.' He spoke up before catching up with Rhodey.

'Well can I at least see Tony first, I came all this-'

'Boss would appreciate your absence.' F.R.I.D.A.Y interrupted rather quickly in hopes to deter her. She sided with Rhodey, knowing even more about the heartache the breakup caused her creator. She wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of his recovery. Not even someone who once offered him love and kindness. She wouldn't let them get the chance to hurt him again. Pepper heard the AI loud and clear and left soon after.

* * *

Rhodey and Happy were all Tony had left. They would take care of him. Stopping outside the room Tony was located in, they looked at each other for support, hoping they'd be able to keep themselves together for his sake. Happy opened the creaking door and stepped in, followed by a hesitant Rhodey. It would be the first time seeing his friend after his accident. He was worried he'd blame himself for it like he did most things. To everyone's surprise, Tony was quiet, staring at the ceiling in some state of awareness. He didn't seem sick, unwell maybe, a bit comfortable the way he was placed on his back. Neither man could quite tell how he was doing despite Cho's report.

'Hey Tones, how you feeling?' Rhodey moved closer to the bed, asking softly. 

'Rh...Rho...dey' His response slurred and eyes searching. He looked panicked, his left side twitching ever so slightly. Rhodey realized he was trying to reach for him. With Happy's help, he maneuvered his chair closer to his head so he could look at him. Gently grabbing his hand he tried to find the courage to speak up, to reassure him that everything was going to be alright. How could he though, truthfully, both of them were in bad shape. He looked to Happy for guidance, hoping he'd find the words to ease Tony's panic.

'S...so sorr...y' Tony tried to continue before Happy could get the message. Thankfully he was quick on his feet and noticed his unease.

'Hey Boss, it's good to see you. Don't be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry about, okay? We're just glad we got to you in enough time. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry. I should've insisted on driving you home too.'

'Tony' Rhodey piped in 'it's not your fault man. There's no need to apologize...for anything. You tried your best and we both got hurt in the end. Shit happens, but at least we've got each other, right.' He brought his hand to Tony's face, brushing his hair away from his eyes, taking a moment to get himself together. He wasn't sure how to tell him. It wasn't like he could just come out and say it without hurting him. The truth would do so regardless.

'You got beat up pretty badly, Tony. Much worse than usual. I'm sure you already know that. But listen, Happy and I are going to be here every step of the way. We'll take care of you, bud. Don't worry about the Accords or the rogues. Please, don't stress yourself out. We'll handle whatever needs to be handled. Everything is going to be fine.' He tried to reassure him. Things weren't fine, they might never be. Everyone knew it. Though, at the moment it was enough to relax Tony. To make him feel safe as he leaned into Rhodey's touch and out of consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like the ending, it's missing something. Might change it soon.


	4. Would Things Be Easier If There Was A Right Way?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this 3 a.m. disaster of a chapter. Not my best but I need to move things along.
> 
> Peter may or may not be making an appearance soon. Stay tuned 🙃

The compound was in an uproar several days later. The rogue avengers escaped from the raft, Ross wanted answers, and to top it all off Steve decided to reach out. Rhodey was in PT when a package was dropped off for Tony. It was a letter from Steve, who wasn't really apologizing, and a phone, in case he ever needed his help or just wanted to talk. Then Ross called moments later assuming Tony was up to no good, he let the line blink.

Before that though, things were getting better. Tony was more aware and healing as best as he could. And he finally got around to addressing the elephant in the room— his paralysis. He sustained three strokes, which were caused by a combination of hypothermia and an overwhelming amount of stress on his heart. It could've been much worse given the situation and Tony was grateful for that. He didn't have much control over his body anymore, it was humiliating not being able to eat normally or go to the bathroom by himself. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't talk well anymore. Cho said it was Dysarthria, he didn't really care he just knew that he sounded stupid. Eventually, he'd start therapy for it, but therapy of any kind was daunting.

The worst injury though could have been fatal. Even after he woke up in the compound he could feel it. Taking the arc reactor out did wonders for his heart, both good and bad. He no longer had to deal with the extra risks of infection or pain, but it was left in a weakened state. When Steve burrowed the shield in his suit's reactor his fake sternum cracked from the force. Once again, leaving him with shrapnel in his heart. This time though, with the extended time he was left untreated, his heart was on its way out. Cho suggested reinserting the arc reactor, to which he had no choice but to agree. He was a bit embarrassed though, just having it removed only to reinsert it again. It was for the best, but he felt foolish for giving it up in the first place.

He told Cho not to tell Rhodey or Happy for that matter. He'd made them worry enough, there was no reason to add fuel to the flame. Besides, it's not like he could really explain himself. He decided it could wait till later. In the meantime, he tasked Happy with upgrading security and had Rhodes handle business with Ross. Thankfully, his ability to write was spared. It was shaky at best but he could get out a few sentences before his hand would go limp. However, Rhodey was patient enough to just listen. He'd coach Tony through each word, until he said what he had wanted to, never making him feel stupid or rushed. Tony appreciated that despite hating to hear himself speak. He knew he was lucky to have him by his side.

Tony spent two days trying to rest before he gave up. He couldn't move to go to his lab, but that didn't stop his mind from wandering. Especially at night when he couldn't stop the nightmares. When his body shook in terror, hoping he wouldn't die by Roger's hands. That's when he got busy, throwing himself into whatever work he could conjure from his tablet. Thankfully before he went after the super twins he started working on the schematics for Rhodey's leg braces. It was the only thing he could while waiting at the hospitable. It was far from perfect, even after he made adjustments, but it would get him walking. Maybe he'd be able to join him soon if everything went well. Though Tony wasn't one for wishful thinking, it never really applied to him. 

* * *

Although Tony was able to use his Starkpad to work. He couldn't actually set things in motion. He loved his bots but they weren't capable of building things so complex, he always enjoyed doing that himself. He wanted to get Rhodey's braces done as soon as possible, but he wasn't strong enough. it had only been a few days since he returned. There was a limit to what he could do at the moment. It made him feel so useless not to be able to do the one thing he took pride in. Building, creating, it was like breathing to him. But now, he felt like he might never breathe again. That he would drown in self-doubt and incomplete ideas.

Happy noticed his disgruntled mood later in the day. It wasn't that out of place from his normal behavior since the incident, but it was noticeable enough to raise some eyebrows. He wasn't sure what to do other than keep him company. He even suggested bringing him down to the lab, which he immediately realized was a sore spot since he couldn't actually do it. Tony didn't even try to reply to that comment, too fed up with his own limitations to want a change of scenery. It wasn't until Vision finally showed up that night that Happy finally understood what the problem was. Tony needed an outlet, some way to release all his ideas. Rhodey was helping with legal but there was only so much he could do. After all, there was only one self-proclaimed genius residing at the compound. Who better, than his creations' creation, to help him get his work started.

Thank whatever Gods was out there that Vision didn't sleep. Tony would have exploded if he had to wait till morning to start on his projects. It wasn't hard to convince him to help out. He was feeling pretty guilty after the ordeal at the airport. Especially since he was the one to blame for Colonel Rhode's injury. Together, Vision was able to help tony construct leg braces for Rhodey as well as upgrade his new arc reactor. It was hard work that Tony usually enjoyed, that he would find himself getting lost in. The long nights spent in his lab were never wasted, down there was a rhythm like no other. Returning to it wasn't the same but it meant a lot to be apart of it again, even though he was merely instructing. By day he was exhausted, though he blamed it on his current situation, which is not too far off from the truth. Rhodey wouldn't have suspected a thing if weren't for his new gift. One that he would cherish dearly. Despite all the pain, Tony went through he would still find a way to help his friend. Rhodes had to laugh to himself, Oh if only Tony could see how extraordinary he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will definitely be editing this, again sorry.


End file.
